Promise of an exciting year for the North-east

Mar 25 2008 by Evening Gazette

OVER the last four years, CPI and Cenamps have been working to translate scientific research into business profit – balancing the responsibilities of regional wealth creation with commercial success along the way.

2008 marks a year of focus for both organisations. It will be a chance to home in on the areas of technological innovation that offer most potential for both the regional economy and the international investment community. Together, they will be championing the investment case for low carbon energy, biotechnology, nanotechnology and new processes in polymer electronics.

The translational role requires niche expertise and understanding of specialist markets. The fields of technology innovation they have identified promise to transform lives over the next decade, and now is the time to highlight the region’s innovation credentials to the global investor audience.

Helping to raise the companies’ profiles and capabilities in these niche fields are ambitious projects such as the Plastic Electronics Technology Centre (PETeC) at Net Park, which is now well underway, supported by leading figures from the international scientific community, attracted via the two centres.

Only by being ambitious, through projects like PETeC that offer serious assets for research, development and, ultimately, commerce, can they convince investors that North-east England is a risk worth taking when it comes to technology innovation. It is vital that the language of business and enterprise is promoted, if the enterprise is to mature and stand out boldly as a niche international technology economy.

At one end of the scientific innovation model is the investment in scientific research; at the other, the business end. The money that is invested by central and regional Government is vital to getting critical academic research in the pipeline: it creates jobs and boosts the presence of CPI and Cenamps globally, among the scientific community.

As the economy of the region becomes less dependent on the public purse, however, they will be working hard to get significant buy-in from investors and private entities, to translate this wealth into business profitability.

This promises to be an exciting year for the region, and for the technology footprint, which looks set to become even clearer against the international landscape.